Wayne Rooney weighs in on Michael Owen’s claim he was better than him at 17 | OneFootball

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Wayne Rooney weighs in on Michael Owen’s claim he was better than him at 17 | OneFootball

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The Independent

·8 September 2025

Wayne Rooney weighs in on Michael Owen’s claim he was better than him at 17

Article image:Wayne Rooney weighs in on Michael Owen’s claim he was better than him at 17
  • Michael Owen asserted on social meda he was the superior player to Wayne Rooney at 17, citing his higher goal tally and two Golden Boots compared to Rooney's statistics.
  • Owen highlighted that he consistently outscored Rooney in their first seven seasons and became the second-youngest Ballon d'Or winner.
  • He conceded that injuries later hindered his career, leading to Rooney ultimately being considered the better overall player due to his sustained performance.
  • On his podcast, Wayne Rooney responded diplomatically, praising Owen's incredible talent at 17 and 18, admitting he used to pretend to be the England striker when he was younger.
  • Rooney agreed Owen's comments were fair, noting that injuries likely prevented Owen from adapting his game as he could, and stated he looked up to Owen.
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